Device and method for measuring current and power in a plug or receptacle

• US 8,564,279 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Efacto, LLC
• Original Assignee: Outsmart Power Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Kevin M., Hunter, Greg, Abelson, Matthew D
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PARESH H
• Application Number:
  US12/941,775
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109301A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 15/183 using transformers with a magnetic core
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 21/06 by measuring current and voltage G01R21/08 - G01R21/133 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6633 with inductive component, e.g. transformer

Abstract

An aspect of the present disclosure relates to an electrical receptacle configured to receive a plug having two or more prongs and capable of being connected to an associated load. The electrical receptacle may include a housing and a housing cover mounted on the housing including apertures for receiving at least one of the prongs. In addition, the receptacle may include at least two electrical contacts for engaging the prongs positioned in the housing, a magnetic current sensor defining an opening, wherein the magnetic current sensor opening is operatively coupled to an opening defined by at least one of the apertures. Wherein when one of the prongs is inserted through one of the apertures, the prong extends through the magnetic current sensor and engages at least one of said electrical contacts.

Claims

1. An electrical receptacle configured to receive a plug having two or more prongs and capable of being connected to an associated load comprising:

a housing;

a housing cover mounted on said housing including apertures for receiving at least one of said prongs;

at least two electrical contacts for engaging said prongs positioned in said housing;

a magnetic current sensor including a toroidal inductor defining an opening, wherein said toroidal inductor opening is operatively coupled to an opening defined by at least one of said apertures wherein when one of said prongs is inserted through one of said apertures, said prong extends through said toroidal inductor opening and engages at least one of said electrical contacts.

2. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a node including a microcontroller in communication with said magnetic current sensor.

3. The electrical receptacle of claim 2, wherein said node includes a power measurement device in electrical communication with said magnetic current sensor and said contacts and said microcontroller.

4. The electrical receptacle of claim 3, wherein said power measurement device includes an analog to digital converter.

5. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein said toroidal inductor assumes the shape of a rectoid.

6. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein said toroidal inductor forms a closed magnetic path around a prong.

7. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a front cover including a number of openings through which said one or more prongs pass.

8. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein said front cover includes a display configured to display power consumption information.

9. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a first engagement sensor located between said housing cover and one of said electrical contacts wherein said first engagement sensor contacts at least one of said prongs when said prong is inserted into one of said apertures.

10. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a second engagement sensor located in said housing distal from said housing cover wherein one of said electrical contacts is located between the second engagement sensor and the housing cover.

11. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein at least two of said electrical contacts is capable of carrying current and wherein said electrical receptacle further comprises node electronics, wherein said node electronics are configured to estimate voltage between all of said electrical contacts to the load.

12. The electrical receptacle of claim 11, further comprising a node configured to measure a voltage between at least one of said prongs and a reference point.

13. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a node configured to estimate energy used by the receptacle.

14. The electrical receptacle of claim 1, wherein when one of said prongs upon insertion into said receptacle and extension through said toroidal inductor opening with engagement to said electrical contact induces a magnetic flux in said toroidal inductor and said receptacle is configured to measure said magnetic flux and determine power consumption through said prong.

15. The electrical receptacle of claim 14, wherein said receptacle is configured to store and/or send information regarding said power consumption over a wired network.

16. The electrical receptacle of claim 14, configured to store and/or send information regarding measured or estimated energy based on said power consumption over a wireless network.

17. An electrical receptacle for receiving a plug having two or more prongs comprising:

a housing;

a housing cover mounted on said housing including apertures for receiving at least one of said prongs;

at least two electrical contacts for engaging said prongs positioned in said housing;

a magnetic current sensor including a toroidal inductor defining an opening, wherein said toroidal inductor opening is operatively coupled to an opening defined by at least one of said apertures wherein when one of said prongs is inserted through one of said apertures, said prong extends through said toroidal inductor opening and engages at least one of said electrical contacts;

a power measurement device in electrical communication with said magnetic current sensor and said electrical contacts;

wherein when one of said prongs upon insertion into said receptacle and extension through said toroidal inductor opening with engagement to said electrical contact induces a magnetic flux in said magnetic current sensor and said receptacle is configured to measure said magnetic flux and determine power consumption through said prong.

18. A method of monitoring power consumption of an electrical receptacle configured to receive a plug having two or more prongs comprising:

supplying an electrical receptacle including a housing, said housing including a housing cover mounted on said housing including apertures for receiving at least one of said prongs, at least two electrical contacts for engaging said prongs positioned in said housing, a magnetic current sensor including a toroidal inductor defining an opening, wherein said toroidal inductor opening is operatively coupled to an opening defined by at least one of said apertures wherein when one of said prongs is inserted through one of said apertures, said prong extends through said toroidal inductor opening and engages at least one of said electrical contacts;

passing current through said prong and generating a magnetic flux; and

measuring a voltage and determining power consumption from said magnetic flux and said voltage.

19. A system for monitoring power consumption of two or more receptacles over a network comprising:

a conductive pathway; and

one or more electrical receptacles in electrical communication with said conductive pathway each configured to receive one or more plugs having two or more prongs, wherein said one or more electrical receptacles include a housing, a housing cover mounted on said housing including apertures for receiving at least one of said prongs, at least two electrical contacts for engaging said prongs positioned in said housing, a magnetic current sensor including a toroidal inductor defining an opening, wherein said toroidal inductor opening is operatively coupled to an opening defined by at least one of said apertures wherein when one of said prongs is inserted through one of said apertures, said prong extends through said toroidal inductor opening and engages at least one of said electrical contacts.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said one or more electrical receptacles each comprise node electronics including a power measurement device in electrical communication with said magnetic current sensor.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said node electronics further includes a microcontroller in electrical communication with said power measurement device, wherein said microcontroller is in electrical communication with said conductive pathway.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising a processor in electrical communication with said conductive pathway and said microcontroller in said node in said one or more electrical receptacles.

23. An electrical receptacle for receiving a plug having two or more prongs, comprising:

a housing;

a housing cover mounted on said housing including apertures for receiving at least one of said prongs;

at least two electrical contacts for engaging said prongs when positioned in said housing; and

a first engagement sensor located between said housing cover and one of said electrical contacts, wherein said receptacle is configured to turn power on when said prong is fully positioned in said receptacle as determined by feedback from said first engagement sensor.

24. The electrical receptacle of claim 23, further comprising a second engagement sensor located in said housing distal from said housing cover wherein one of said electrical contacts is located between the second engagement sensor and the housing cover.

25. The electrical receptacle of claim 23, wherein at least two of said electrical contacts is capable of carrying current and wherein said electrical receptacle further comprises node electronics, wherein said node electronics are configured to estimate voltage between all of said electrical contacts to the load.

26. The electrical receptacle of claim 23, further comprising a node configured to measure a voltage between at least one of said prongs and a reference point.